Currently, there are four files available. All are standard zip files; to install simply unpack them in a suitable directory (with subdirectories enabled).

Idle v 1.02: this zip (~835 KB) contains all required binary files (ie the interpreters for the console and GUI subsystems, the Idle compiler and the Idle runtime DLL), quite a few sample scripts and the documention in HTML format. Please remember that you're dealing with a release candidate: there may be bugs and feedback is always welcome.

the Perl interface: a zip (~450 KB) with an interface to embed Perl code into Idle scripts. This contains the Perl core DLL (Perl 5.10), the glue DLL and the Idle interface module as well as a few examples.

the TCC interface: this file (~265 KB) contains all that is needed to interface Idle with Tiny C: the TCC compiler and the glue code in a DLL as well as the Idle interface module. Also included are the C header files, the TCC runtime library and a few examples.

the Idle Development Kit: last but not least, this zip (~285 KB) includes all the files and information needed to compile and link C/C++ extension libraries for Idle (mainly a few header files and the Idle import library). Also included are two complete sample projects: the LuaXML library, adapted for Idle, and an interface for MAPM (short for Mike's Arbitrary Precision Math Library).

After downloading and checking the MD5 and SHA1 checksums you should unpack the zip file(s) into a single directory (for instance, c:\Program Files\Idle\). The full package (all four zips listed above) will expand into the following directory tree:

After unpacking the zip(s) into a subdirectory of your choice you should set the PATH environment variables to include the Idle bin\ subdirectory (this is the directory which contains the interpreter and compiler executables and the Idle runtime DLL (the executables have to be able to locate the DLL); it should be inside the directory where you unpacked the Idle zip). See also the included batch file bin\setIDLE_PATH.bat and the readme file. Once you have done that, you can test Idle by simply executing the eponymous script in subdirectory test\:

cd test
idle.exe test.idle

(More samples are located in the subdirectories below test\.)

If you want to register the .idle file type in the Windows registry, there is a little script included (see bin\RegisterIdle.idle) that should do the trick. This program also attempts to change CMD.EXE's PATHEXT environment variable such that you can execute .idle script files without having to type the tedious 'idle.exe' in front. I am not sure whether this will work for all the different versions of CMD.EXE as my experience with that shell is rather limited. Even if it does work there seem to be 'issues' with programs that use PATHEXT-run scripts in connection with file redirection. It's all Microsoft stuff, so YMMV.

If you happen to use a recent version of the excellent 4NT or TCC command line processor from JPSoft (nowadays there is even a free version called TCC/LE available), you can simply create an executable extension for .idle (for details check the JPSoft help). There are no problems with file redirection under 4NT/TCC that I know of.